Snapshots
by Usami
Summary: /Update 9.07.08: Tell Her/ A collection of fluffy Luigi and Daisy oneshots.
1. A Not So Average Fairytale

Yeah, I'm back with more Luigi/Daisy goodness. As the summary said, this will be a collection of separate Luigi/Daisy one-shots. I've seen this kind of thing done for other fandoms, so I thought why not try it here with this couple? They're all meant to be short (though some will be shorter than others), and all of them will be centered on Luigi/Daisy (with some having a splash of Mario/Peach). If anyone has problems with that, it's not too late to back out.

At the moment, I have a lot of ideas that I want to try writing for these two. But feel free to drop me any ideas that you'd like to see. I can't gurantee that I'll use them, but I do promise to consider them.

Anyway, here's the first one. Hope you enjoy!

Other genre: None  
Summary: She knew that she was different from other princesses. And she was happy that way.  
Notes: Daisy POV

**A Not-So-Average Fairytale**

I hear from a lot of people that I'm not a typical princess. And that's just fine with me. I remember growing up and listening to all those stories about princesses getting captured and needing to be rescued by a knight in shining armor. Then she and the knight would fall in love and get married. And I remember thinking how I _never_ wanted to end up like that. I mean, honestly, was that really how a princess was supposed to be? I hated to think that my life would end up like one out of a storybook.

Granted, I _am_ a princess. I _have_ been captured before, and I _have_ been rescued. But even so, my story is far different from most other princess stories.

First of all, I was captured by an alien. Those never came up in any of the storybooks I've read. Secondly, I wasn't saved by a tall knight in shining armor; I was rescued by a short _plumber_.

Don't get me wrong, though. Mario was a really nice guy. After all, he risked his life traveling through unfamiliar land to save a princess he didn't know. And he did save me from marrying Tatanga. As much as I hated to admit it…after Mario rescued me, I _did_ develop some feelings for him.

But somehow, we both knew a relationship between us wouldn't work out. As much as I was grateful for his help, my childhood distaste for storybook fantasies wouldn't have allowed much to happen between us, even if I _had _thought I loved him. When he left Sarasaland, so did the feelings I had for him. I never really expected to see him again after that.

Little did I know that my childhood friend was regularly saved by this heroic plumber. I guess I should have expected it, though. Peach was always more accepting of fairytales than I was.

One day after not hearing from her for so long, Peach invited me to the Mushroom Kingdom to catch up. I thought that it wouldn't hurt, so I went to meet her at her castle. Imagine my surprise to see Mario there with her. Even after so many years, he hadn't changed much from when I first met him.

But what really surprised me was that Mario had a twin brother.

Luigi…wasn't quite what I expected. When Peach said that both he and Mario had rescued her from Bowser, I thought that Luigi would be a lot like his brother. And in some ways, he was. Luigi was just as nice as Mario was. But Luigi was also a little clumsier and a lot more timid than his twin. He didn't say much when we first met, and he blushed a lot when I spoke to him.

Actually…I thought it was really cute.

For some reason, I couldn't stop thinking about Luigi after that day. He was different from most guys I'd ever met. But I wanted to know why. And I had plenty of opportunities to learn. When I heard Peach was kidnapped by Bowser again, I sent a letter to the Mushroom Kingdom, asking if there was anything I could do to help. Surprisingly, Luigi was the one to answer. Apparently, Mario left him behind when he went to rescue Peach. Well, I certainly couldn't miss an opportunity like _that_, now could I?

So whenever Peach was captured and Mario went to save her, I found myself traveling to the Mushroom Kingdom for a while to see Luigi. The two of us spent a lot of time talking together – actually, mostly I would talk and he'd listen. I never meant to take control of the conversation, but I've never met someone who I could talk to as easily as I could talk to Luigi. And since he was so shy and didn't talk much, he didn't mind hearing me prattle on about whatever I found interesting at the time. He didn't pretend to listen like a lot of other people I know, either; he really paid attention to what I was saying. But even though he didn't say much, I learned a lot about Luigi during all the time we spent together.

Despite what people say about him, Luigi is probably one of the bravest people I know. I mean, it takes a lot of courage to admit when you're scared. But even when he's afraid, he still will do whatever he can to help someone in trouble. He's just not ashamed to admit when he needs help.

He's not afraid to be who he is. And as weird as it sounds, he gives me the courage to keep being who _I _am.

That's why I want to be there for him when he needs help. I want to be able to protect him. He'd let me too (albeit unwillingly, but still), though I know he'd want to protect me as well. I guess I'd let him do that…as long as he remembers that I can take care of myself too.

But the important thing is that he accepts me for who I am, no matter how different. That's why I like being with him, no matter what people say.

So maybe I'm not your typical princess. I didn't fall in love with a white knight, or even with the man who saved my life that one time. Instead, I picked a shy, clumsy plumber who doesn't let his fear stop him from helping people in trouble…Someone _I_ want to keep safe. It's easy to see that my story isn't your average fairytale.

But I'm still holding out for that happy ending.

**The End**


	2. Enough

So, here's the next installment of 'Snapshots'. While I promised that all these oneshots are fluffy Luigi/Daisy stories, I never said that they'd all be _happy_ stories. Because love (despite the lies that the Disney corporation feeds us) does not always have a happy ending.

On that note, I've read a few fics where Daisy breaks up with Luigi because she wants something more or something like that. But the more I thought about it, the more I thought that Luigi actually has more incentive to break up with her. Why? You're about to find out.

Other genre: Angst  
Summary: He would do anything for her...no matter how painful it was for them both.  
Notes: Luigi POV

**Enough**

My voice trembled as I spoke the words I never thought I'd say: "It's over, Daisy."

Surprise and pain flash through her wide…beautiful eyes. "Wh-what?" she asked, her hand grasping her flower brooch.

I swallowed back the lump in my throat. Please don't make me say it again. "I…I-I just can't do this anymore…that's all."

Her hands dropped to her side as she took a step towards me; instinctively I took a step back. Her tone was filled with confusion as she spoke. "But…Luigi…"

I shook my head, clenching my fists to keep them from shaking. "N-no. I…I've had enough of all this. We're through."

Her sapphire eyes stared at me, piercing through me. I lowered my cap over my eyes and hoped she couldn't see the truth.

"You don't mean that," she whispered.

I flinched. I'm not sure how long I can keep this up. "We're just…too different. We need to end this now. It's best for both of us."

"Luigi, please…"

I turned away from her. "Daisy…don't make this any harder than it has to be…"

"It doesn't _have_ to be so hard because it doesn't _have_ to be this way!" she retorted. "Please, just think about what you're doing!"

She just doesn't understand. She _can't_ understand. "I _have_ thought about this…" I replied. But my voice…my will is wavering. I can't stay much longer. If I do, I know I won't go through with this. I'm just not that strong. I have to get out of here.

But as I start to go, I hear her following behind me. "Luigi," she said, "this is about what _they_ said, isn't it?"

I froze, my heart pounding hard against my chest. What _they _said…what everyone in Sarasaland said about us when they thought we weren't listening. The little things they whispered when I came to visit, or when they saw us together.

_Why would the princess choose someone like _him?

_What's his name again?_

_He's nothing like his brother, Mario._

_His brother's a hero._

_He's just a coward…_

_…a weakling…_

_…a wimp…_

_She could do _much _better than that guy._

The worst thing about what they said…is that they're right.

I felt Daisy's arms around my shoulders as she pulled me close. As she leaned on me, I felt her against my back and her head rest on mine. I closed my eyes and savored her warmth, if only for that moment. It would be last time I'd get the chance.

"Luigi…" she said, her voice just loud enough to hear, "please don't do this. I don't _care_ what they say."

I bit my tongue. Of course she wouldn't care what they say. She never does. But _I _care. And I can't let them say those things anymore.

_Princess Daisy could have anyone she wanted, and yet she chose him?_

_She must be crazy to pick someone so pathetic._

_Or desperate._

_Or both._

To talk about _me_ was one thing. But I just couldn't let them talk like that about _her_. And I would do anything to protect her from that.

Even if it meant doing this.

Gathering up what little courage I had left, I pulled away from her embrace and turned to face her. "It's not about them!" I said, my voice cracking with the lie. "I'm tired of this! We're through, Daisy! It's _over_ between us!"

I don't think I've ever seen her so upset before. She stared at me, her usually-bright eyes glossed over with tears. But I knew she wouldn't cry. She'd never let herself cry in public. She'd wait until she was alone before finally allowing herself to shed those tears.

Still, it took a lot to make someone like Daisy cry. And my own eyes burned, knowing that _I _was the one hurting her. I wish that it didn't have to come to this. But I _have _to do this for her. I _have_ to let her go. Because I'm not brave, I'm not smart, I'm not strong…I'm not a hero like Mario is. What does someone like _me_ have to offer a princess?

I'm just…not good enough for her.

I watched as she took a breath and released it slowly. She blinked, and the tears were gone. "All right," she said, keeping her voice as calm as she could. "If that's how you feel, then fine. Obviously I can't stop you if this is what you want to do."

She knows that this is the _last_ thing I'd ever _want_ to do. But I know this is the _right_ thing to do. I couldn't turn back anymore. I had to see this through…for _her_.

I'd do anything for her.

I sighed heavily, pushing up the bill of my cap. I had to finish this soon. "We're done…I'm sorry, Daisy."

She just looked at me with those sad sapphire eyes. Then she stepped forward and leaned towards me. I tensed when I felt her lips brush against my cheek, but before I could say anything I heard her whisper in my ear, "I'm sorry too." Then she turned away from me, and without another word she ran off. I just wish I could have looked into her dazzling eyes one last time.

But this _is_ for the best…isn't it?

Everything was suddenly distorted as I watched her go. Blinking, I roughly rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand before finally turning to leave as well. I did what I had to do, and now that it was over I couldn't stay here any longer.

I know Daisy. She's such a beautiful and strong person, capable of doing whatever she wanted. I know she'll bounce back from this. It'll be hard…but eventually she'll be able to move on with her life. Maybe someday she'll find someone who can give her everything she'll ever need. Someone who can make her truly happy. She deserves that.

All I can do is step back and pray things go well for her.

I just hope that's enough.

**The End**


	3. Planning Ahead

Other genre: None  
Summary: There's nothing wrong with thinking about the future. But she may be getting a little carried away.  
Notes: I'm not really sure what to say about this one. I had this idea, and I thought it'd be cute to write up. So I did. While I was coming up with this one, though, I ended up getting an idea for another, longer oneshot. It's based off this, of course, but it'll probably be a stand-alone. Enough about that, though. Hope you enjoy this story!

**Planning Ahead**

Daisy waved her hand, swatting the flies away as she tried to put the food back in the basket. She was a little surprised that the bugs hadn't come earlier and messed up their picnic, especially on such a pleasantly warm day in the park like this. But they were here now, so it was time to pack up the food.

Though it was a little hard to move around with Luigi's head resting on her lap.

Not that she minded too much. Actually, she was very content in her current position, and she didn't want to wake him. He just looked so peaceful in his sleep. His moustache twitched slightly with each soft snore that passed his lips, and his hand relaxed its grip on his emerald cap.

It wasn't often that Luigi willingly removed his cap; after all, it was an easy way for someone as shy as him to hide things he didn't want others to see. He only removed it around people he was most comfortable with. Daisy couldn't hide her smile as the thought passed her mind.

Once the food was put away, the princess sighed and gently ran her slim fingers through the man's dark hair with one hand, the other hand easing Luigi's hat from his grasp. Obtaining her prize with a grin, she placed the cap on top of her head.

The sound of laughter reached her ears, and Daisy looked up to see three Toad children playing with a Frisbee not too far from where she and Luigi were. One of the Toadettes held up the Frisbee, calling out to the Toad boy before throwing the disc as hard as she could. The Toad ran after it, jumping up and catching the disc before calling to the second Toadette. She waved at him, and he threw the Frisbee in her direction. She jumped up to catch it, but missed it as it sailed past her.

Daisy watched as the Frisbee glided towards her and Luigi, inching towards the grass as it came closer. It never hit the ground, however, and she flinched a little as the disc hit Luigi's hand before landing neatly on his stomach.

"Miss Princess Daisy!" she heard one of the Toadettes yelled. "Can you throw back our Frisbee please?"

Looking over at the Toad children, Daisy placed a finger to her lips and pointed to Luigi, hoping they would get the message.

The three kids looked at each other and ran over, standing at the edge of the picnic blanket. "Miss Princess Daisy," the second Toadette said in a stage whisper, "are you and Mister Luigi on a date?"

With a small grin, Daisy nodded, earning exchanged glances and giggles from the two Toadettes. The Toad boy just rolled his eyes.

Just as Daisy reached for the Frisbee, she and the Toad children froze when Luigi murmured softly, raising a gloved hand to rub his eyes. He sat up with a small yawn, and the disc fell to his lap. Blinking away the remaining sleep, he looked down at the Frisbee curiously. Then he looked up at the Toad children who met his gaze with a curious stare. Rubbing the back of his head, the plumber picked up the Frisbee and offered it back to the mushroom children.

"Thanks," the Toad boy said, taking the disc from him. Then he ran off with the Toadettes closely behind him, giggling as they left.

Luigi didn't seem to notice, though, as he yawned again and stretched his arms over his head. Daisy smiled, watching as the children went back to their game before turning to the green-clad plumber. "Hey Luigi?" she said.

"Hmm…?" he replied, his soft tone indicating his lingering weariness.

"Have you ever thought about having children?"

"Mmm…"

She smiled a little, knowing that he wasn't awake enough to understand her question. But he heard her, and she knew it was only a matter of time before he realized what she said. She looked at her gloved fingers. "Three…" she said softly, "two…one…"

Luigi suddenly turned to face her, his eyes wide with surprise and his cheeks bright red. "Wh-what did y-you say?" he stuttered.

Daisy laughed softly. "I was just wondering if you ever thought about having children."

He swallowed nervously, tugging a little on the collar of his shirt and glancing at the playing Toad children. "What…why…?"

She shrugged a little, throwing him a small grin. "There's nothing wrong with thinking about the future a little. Besides, I'm not getting any younger, and I've always wanted a little boy myself."

Luigi scratched the top of his head. "I never…really imagined you preparing for motherhood."

"Just because I'm a little different than most girls doesn't mean I don't want to be a mother," she stated, folding her arms. "I'd just…wait a while, that's all."

He smiled a bit, turning to face her completely. "Why do you want a boy?" he wondered.

"Just because," she replied. "I think it'd be cool to have a son. It would give me an excuse to be a little rough and have a little fun…y'know, playing with him and all."

Luigi wondered if princesses were allowed to raise children the way other parents did. Shrugging it off, he asked, "So if you had a son, what would you name him?"

Daisy frowned, placing a thoughtful finger to her chin. "Y'know…I never really thought about it." She looked at him. "What do you think is a good name for a boy?"

"Hey, don't ask me," he said, holding his hands up. "I wouldn't really know. I mean, _my _name's Luigi, after all."

"Aww…" she said, taking his hand. "I like your name…"

The plumber blushed a little, looking down at the picnic blanket. "I think it's a weird name…especially for me. 'Luigi' actually means famous warrior, if you can believe that." He laughed softly, and Daisy could tell that he wasn't upset with the statement.

"But c'mon Luigi," she said, tugging gently on his hand. "If you had to pick a name for a son, what name would you give him?"

With a soft sigh, Luigi looked up at the sky and watched some of the clouds pass by. "Well…" he began slowly, "I've always liked the name Tonio."

"Tonio?" Daisy repeated.

"Yeah. It's actually short for Antonio, but I would just use Tonio."

Daisy smiled a little. "Tonio…that's cute. I like that." She nodded. "I think that's a great name."

"I'm glad you think so," Luigi said, running his fingers through his auburn hair. "Especially since I never really thought about having a son."

Daisy blinked, but then a small smile spread over her face. "So you _have_ thought about having children before."

Luigi blushed, rubbing the back of his head. "A little…But I've always wanted a daughter."

"Really? I thought guys would want to have sons to pass on the heritage, or something like that."

He shook his head. "I'm not really too worried about that. I just think it'd be nice to have a little girl."

The princess smiled, removing Luigi's cap from her head and giving it back to him. "Have you thought of any names if you had a daughter?"

He blushed a little, smiling shyly. "Well…I kind of like flower names."

Daisy laughed. "Flower names, eh? Well, I don't have any problem with that. Just as long as you don't name your daughter 'Rose' or 'Lilly' or anything like that. Those kinds of names are used too much."

Luigi bit his tongue, chuckling nervously. "Um…So…what kind of name would _you_ give a girl?" he wondered.

"Let's see…" Daisy placed a finger to her chin. "I think Dahlia would be a perfect name."

"Dahlia…" Luigi tested slowly. "I've never heard of that kind of flower before."

"Oh, dahlias are so pretty," Daisy replied. "They come in so many different kinds and colors, and they grow around summer and fall. Plus dahlias are supposed to represent dignity and elegance."

"That's really nice…" The plumber nodded, opening the picnic basket and pulling out a bottle of water. "Dahlia would be a good name for a girl."

"So…" Daisy said, twirling a strand of her hair with her finger, "what are other good names for a boy? I mean, there's always the chance that you'd have more than one kid, right? And you could have a son and a daughter, or two sons…"

"Daisy," Luigi said, twisting the top of the bottle open, "it's good that you're thinking about the future. But some things are better to think about when it comes. And you should really take the time to think of names for your children. Don't you think you're rushing things a bit?"

Watching him as he began to drink some water, Daisy grinned wickedly. "I guess you're right," she replied. "After all, I'd want to get _married_ before I have any kids."

A spray of water shot out of Luigi's mouth as he suddenly choked. Daisy couldn't help but laugh.

**The End**


	4. This and That

Other genre: Humor  
Summary: Sometimes ordinary days don't turn out the way we expect them to.  
Notes: I don't usually write humor stories. It's just not my forte. But I really wanted to write this because; a) in my mind, it was hilarious, and b) relationships aren't always full of action and excitement. Sometimes they hit a lull and involve everyday activities. That's where the idea for this came from, but of course I couldn't just make it that simple for them. (evil smirk) Anyway, enjoy!

**This and That**

Things weren't supposed to turn out this way. Today was meant to be a simple day where he would run ordinary errands, picking up things he and his brother needed at home. It was supposed to be easy, and there weren't supposed to be any problems.

But he'd forgotten that his girlfriend was supposed to visit today. The need to complete his errands totally pushed it to the back of his mind. Luckily she was so understanding about the situation, and offered to accompany him to Toad-Mart.

Looking back, Luigi realized that might have been the problem.

He knew that Daisy was well versed in the ways of the mall; she and Peach went there sometimes during one of their get-togethers. But he also knew that Daisy had never been to any place like Toad-Mart before. As a princess, there was really no need to. And since Toad-Mart was nothing like the mall, he had been a little worried that she'd grow bored waiting for him to finish his errands.

Boy, was he wrong.

He couldn't explain the excitement that lighted Daisy's face when they first entered the store. There was nothing really interesting to do other than shop for items at a relatively cheap price. But after grabbing a cart, he had a hard time keeping up with the flower princess as she hurried from aisle to aisle, pointing out this item here and that thing over there.

Actually, it was amusing to see her so fascinated with such ordinary objects in a mega mart. He was glad that she was at least having a good time. But it was a little hard for him to actually find the items he needed while chasing her throughout the store.

After she had finally seemed to calm down, he was able to get back to his task. But he noticed that his shoes were untied, and had to pause for a moment and tie them. While he was doing so, Daisy asked to see his shopping list. He made the mistake of handing her the list and not paying attention to what she was doing.

When he had finished tying his shoes and got to his feet, Daisy and the empty cart were gone.

That was the predicament he found himself in. He figured that Daisy might have doubled back to look at the stuff she had seen before, so he considered going to look through all of the aisles they had passed. But Toad-Mart was a large place, and they had been down a good number of aisles. He wasn't sure which one to start with.

Or maybe she had gone to get the things on the list, and that's why she had asked for it. But then why didn't she wait for him to finish tying his shoes? No, he definitely knew Daisy was up to more than just that. He just didn't know what.

He racked his brain, trying to remember if they had spent a significant amount of time in any one aisle. When he couldn't recall, he finally just gave up and allowed himself to wander around the store. If Daisy wanted to be found, she'd be found. Until then, he would just have to wait and hope that she wouldn't cause too much trouble.

Luigi wasn't sure how long he spent roaming, but as he passed one of the food aisles he noticed a flash of orange. Backtracking a few steps, he watched as Daisy thoughtfully looked up and down one of the shelves. Then she reached out and grabbed a small bag.

"Daisy!" he said as he walked towards her. Turning around, the Sarasaland princess smiled.

"There you are, Luigi!" she said, turning to face him. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to him. "I got everything on your list."

"Um…thanks…" he replied, taking the paper from her as he eyed the bag she held. "What's that?"

"Huh?" She looked at the bag in her hand. "Oh! It's just a bag of chocolate chips."

The green-clad plumber frowned. "Those aren't on the list."

"Oh, I know," she replied, placing the bag in the cart. "But I know how much you like baking, so I thought I'd grab some for you. I also got some flour, just in case you needed some."

Luigi was about to respond that there was still plenty of flour and chocolate chips back at his house, but his voice caught in his throat when he noticed the cart behind her. "Daisy…what _is _all that?!"

She glanced at the cart curiously. "I just picked up a few things you might need…" she answered with a shrug.

He stared at the mini mountain that filled the shopping cart. "It looks like you're trying to buy the whole store…" he murmured, reaching into the basket. "I don't think I'm going to need all this."

"You might think that _now_," Daisy said, "but you'll thank me for this stuff later."

Pulling out a small teddy bear, Luigi looked at her doubtfully. "I'm gonna need _this_?" he asked.

"Well, maybe not that…" she responded sheepishly. "But I got a bunch of toys and things that I thought we could donate to the orphanage or something."

He blinked, looking back at the bear in his hands. "That's…that's a nice idea…" Then he looked back at her again. "And _none _of these are for you?"

Daisy grinned a little, fishing into the cart. "Well…maybe just this one," she said, pulling out a Luigi doll and hugging it to her.

Luigi stared at her. "Wait, how did you –?"

Grabbing the bear from him and putting both toys back into the cart, Daisy pushed it as she said, "Well, we better get to the check-out lanes."

Luigi hurried to catch up to her, walking alongside the cart and regarding all its contents. "Daisy, what is all this? There's laundry soap, dishwasher soap, liquid and bar soap…even soap for washing a car…"

"Well, you had soap on your list, and I didn't know which kind to get…so I got all these."

Luigi looked through all of them. 'Well, at least _one_ of them is the right kind,' he thought with relief. "Maybe we could put some of these back. I only need the bar soap."

"Oh, let's just get them anyway. I mean, you could use them eventually."

"But I don't even have a car!"

"Well, you have a go-kart, don't you?" she replied with a small grin.

The plumber sighed, deciding to drop the matter and move on to other items. "What's this…?" He pulled out a bottle. "Shampoo?"

Daisy shrugged. "Why not? I figured we might as well since we're here."

"But shampoo _and _conditioner?"

"Two for the price of one. Besides, it'll make you're hair nice and silky."

Luigi couldn't help but role his eyes, putting the bottle back into the cart. He continued to browse through the objects. Some were practical and he figured he would eventually use; such as toilet paper, batteries, light bulbs, and various food items. Some weren't as useful but he didn't mind having; such as books, gardening tools, and some new sports equipment. He didn't know what he'd do with the rest of the stuff; like the movies, the strange kitchen appliances, the rugs, and the clothes that he had feeling wouldn't fit.

"Daisy…" he began slowly, "I don't think I have enough money for all this stuff…"

"Oh don't worry," she replied with a smile. "I'm sure _I_ have enough."

The plumber groaned softly as they got to the check-out lane, and he reluctantly helped her pile all the items onto the counter. The Toad behind the register stared at the mass for a moment before looking at Luigi. Luigi just shook his head and shrugged, and the cashier sighed before beginning to scan each item.

The scanning process took a much longer time than Luigi hoped for, and he could feel the impatience of the shoppers behind him. He sighed in relief when the last item was checked out and the Toad cashier rang up the total.

Unfortunately, the relief was fleeting.

"Your total is 3,492 gold coins," the Toad announced.

Luigi bit his lip and turned to Daisy. Before he could say anything, though, the Sarasaland princess pulled out a large bag from seemingly nowhere and placed it in front of the Toad.

"Here ya go," she said.

Looking from her to the bag, the Toad quipped, "You think there's enough in there?"

Daisy nodded. "There should be. But I'm not _exactly_ sure how much is in there, so we might need to count."

Luigi flushed as the people behind him groaned loudly, some of them abandoning the lane altogether. As Daisy and the poor cashier began to count each coin, he decided to never take her to Toad-Mart again.

**The End**


	5. Something Sweet

Other genre: Humor  
Summary: Even the sweetest treats take a little work.  
Notes: I'm not even going to try making an excuse for why it took me so long to update. I'm just sorry that it did. So here's the next installment, and hopefully it won't take me as long to write up the next one (though I have a strange feeling that it will).

About this story: I somewhat based this story on how my sister and I make cookies, so it might be a little different from the way people normally make cookies. Some of the things in this story actually did happen to me, but most of them are exaggerated. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

**Something Sweet**

"Hey, Luigi…Where the heck is the – oh, never mind! I found it."

"Um, Daisy? Maybe you should let me –"

"Oh, don't be such a worrywart. If I needed help, I'd ask you for it."

"But, Daisy…!"

"Don't worry, Luigi. I've got everything under – whoa!"

"Daisy, be careful…!"

A dull thud finished the rest of his statement, sending white dust all across the floor and into the air. Luigi sighed softly, watching as the thick cloud settled to reveal his once-clean kitchen now covered in flour.

Daisy smiled sheepishly. "Oops…" she murmured.

The green-clad plumber shook his head, picking up the bag she had dropped. "As I was trying to say before, you had the container upside down. Opening it that way would spill all the flour."

"Sorry. But you could have warned me sooner." She peered at the bag in his hands. "Is there anything left?"

Luigi surveyed the remains. "There should be enough for a dozen or two." He placed the bag of flour on the counter, looking at the Sarasaland princess as he slid it towards her. "Are you really sure you want to do this?"

"Of course!" she replied, taking the bag and grabbing a nearby mixing bowl. "Even though I'm a princess, I thought I should learn everyday things too. And you're one of the few people I know who really likes to bake, so it made sense to ask you." She poured the sack's contents into the bowl.

"Wait, Daisy, you need to use…" Luigi's sentence died on his lips when he noticed the flower princess was not paying attention to him. He could only hope that it wouldn't be too much flour, otherwise the cookies wouldn't turn out too well.

While he had been surprised when Daisy paid an unexpected visit that morning, what really shocked him was when she asked if he would teach her how to bake. Even though she always enjoyed the treats he made for her, the tomboyish royalty never demonstrated an interest in baking before. He was curious to her reasons for the sudden appeal, but he readily agreed to help her since it's what she wanted.

Now, however, he could see how much trouble _that_ was.

An electric buzz snapped Luigi out of his musings, and he watched as Daisy began mixing the wet ingredients with the hand mixer. Her tongue was just visible at the side of her mouth, and her brow was furrowed with deep concentration. She was so focused on her task, her expression so intense, that he couldn't help the amused smile spreading across his face. Whatever her reason for baking, he was glad for this time he was spending with her.

"Hey, Luigi?" she said. "Could you start putting the dry ingredients for me? I'd do it myself, but I'm doing this."

"Sure." He walked over and took the metal bowl filled with the white powder. "Did you mix all these together?"

"Of course!" Daisy beamed. She stepped to the side to give Luigi more room. "I slow down the mixing speed, right?"

The green-clad plumber nodded. "Right." Carefully he eased the dry ingredients into the other bowl, watching as the concoction soon became the familiar cookie dough. As he moved closer to combine more powder into the wet ingredients, Daisy moved the handheld beater to provide more space. Suddenly sticky beige chunks shot out at the two bakers.

"Whoa!" Daisy said.

"Upright!" Luigi exclaimed. "You gotta hold the mixer upright!"

"What?! OH!" She straightened up the beater, and the pieces of dough stopped flying around them. She offered a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Luigi."

He sighed softly, emptying the rest of the dry ingredients into the mix. "That's okay, Daisy. Here, how about I take over the mixer while you get the chocolate chips?"

The Sarasaland princess seemed ready to protest when her eyes suddenly brightened, and she grinned. "Okay," she replied, handing the mixer to him. As soon as her hands were free, she went to get the bag of sweets.

Something in her expression worried Luigi, but he decided to ignore it as she returned, cutting the bag open with some scissors. "Okay," he began while he switched off the mixer, "what you want to do now is –"

His eyes widened when Daisy dumped all of the chocolate chips into the cookie dough. "Daisy!"

She looked at him. "What?" she asked sweetly. "I like chocolate."

He tried to look upset, but he knew he could never be angry with her for very long. So instead he just shook his head, and with a smile he switched the handheld beater back on.

Once all the chocolate chips were mixed with the dough, he turned the mixer off and looked at the princess. "Did you start to preheat the oven?"

"Sure did," she replied, lining the baking sheets with parchment paper. "So what now?"

Luigi removed his gloves and stuck them into his back pocket. "Now we have to get the cookies ready." Reaching into the bowl, he pulled out a small chunk of the dough and rolled it into a ball. He showed it to Daisy before placing it on the baking sheet. "There. See?"

"Okay," Daisy replied. Reaching into the bowl, she pulled out another chunk of dough.

"Not so big," the plumber instructed, placing a hand over hers. "These expand when they bake, and if we make them too big, then we'll end up with one big cookie instead."

"Oh, okay." Tearing a piece off, she gave it to Luigi before rolling her bit into a ball and placing it on the baking sheet. "Like that?"

He smiled and nodded. "That looks good." The two of them continued making cookies in a comfortable silence, scooping out dough and rolling it into small spheres. They lined each baking sheet with cookies until there was no dough left in the bowl.

"Wow, it really did turn out to be two dozen," Luigi noted, placing the last sphere on the baking sheet. "Is the oven all set?"

"Ready to go," Daisy said, taking the baking sheets. "How about I stick these in the oven while you start the clean-up?"

"Sure." Taking the two used bowls, he placed them into the sink and started to run the water. "Just be sure to set the timer for eight minutes, okay?"

Sliding the baking sheets in, Daisy closed the oven door. "How about four minutes?" she asked as she began to mess with the timer.

Luigi glanced at her curiously. "That's not long enough," he replied. "The cookies won't bake properly if we don't give them enough time."

"I don't think we need to worry about that."

Luigi decided that he didn't like her playful tone. "What do you mean?"

Daisy just smiled and shrugged. "Don't worry, Luigi," she said. "The cookies will bake."

The green-clad man watched her suspiciously. It was when she said 'don't worry' that he tended to worry the most.

* * *

Mario blinked. Then he rubbed his eyes and blinked again. The image in front of him still remained, so he knew he wasn't hallucinating. But he still couldn't believe his eyes.

He knew that Luigi was baking today; that was part of the reason he was at Peach's castle all day. But his younger brother normally kept the kitchen nice and clean, no matter what he was making.

Then again, Daisy _was_ baking with him…or rather, she was supposed to be.

"Hey, where'd Daisy go?" the red-clad hero asked.

"She's in the bathroom cleaning up," Luigi replied as he threw away the paper towel he used to clean. "We had a little trouble with the flour…"

Mario's eyes swept over the powder-covered floor. "So I noticed…" A strange smell reached his nose, and his brow creased with puzzlement. "Why does it kinda smell like smoke?"

"Ah…well…" Luigi glanced at the nearby plate of dark discs. "We kinda…burnt the cookies…"

"Burnt?" Mario repeated, looking at his brother. "You? But you _never_ burn them."

"Well…Daisy thought that if we doubled the temperature of the oven, then we'd be done in half the time."

"Oh…" Mario nodded sympathetically; he almost made the same mistake when he was helping Luigi bake a cake once. Luckily the other had corrected him before they put the cake in.

The shorter plumber glanced at the cookies. "So, how do they taste?"

"We haven't tasted them yet, actually," Luigi confessed. "We were waiting for them to cool down first."

"They should be cool enough now, though!" Daisy suddenly chirped as she came back into the kitchen. "Hey, Mario, why don't you take the first taste?"

The older brother looked at her. "Why me?"

"Because, Luigi and I were the ones who baked them. Since you didn't do anything, you get to taste it."

Mario frowned and turned to the taller man. Luigi met his wondering gaze with a shrug. Looking over at the cookies once more, he slowly picked one up and studied it carefully before taking a tentative bite.

Daisy and Luigi observed him curiously, watching as the other chewed thoughtfully before swallowing. Then looking once again at the cookie in his hand, Mario stated, "Actually, that's not too bad…"

Glancing at each other, the other two then reached out and took a cookie of their own, both hesitating before nibbling on them.

"Hey, that's pretty good," Luigi said.

With a grin, Daisy popped the rest of the cookie in her mouth. "A little crispy, but they're still okay." She looked at Luigi. "So I did all right then?"

The green-clad plumber nodded. "Yeah. You did pretty well for a first time."

The Sarasaland princess punched the air. "Awesome! So, I was thinking we could do a cake next…"

"A c-cake?" Luigi repeated.

"Yeah. I mean we still have enough ingredients for one, right?"

The two brothers looked at each other, then back at the tomboyish royalty with alarm. "You mean you want to make the cake right now?" Luigi asked.

Daisy grinned. "Sure. Why not?"

The two stared at her for a moment, their mouths agape. Suddenly, Mario slapped his forehead with his palm. "Mama Mia!" he exclaimed. "I just remembered that I left something at Peach's castle." Turning to leave, his next words came out in a rush, "I-better-go-back-and-get-it-I'll-see-you-later-bye!"

Luigi watched as his older brother ran out of the kitchen, and he cringed a little when the front door slammed shut. Turning back and looking at Daisy's expectant face, he gave her a warm smile. "I guess that means we should get the other bag of flour…"

**The End**


	6. One in a Million

Oh boy...what can I say? I meant to update sooner, I really did. But...well, life got in the way. I know that's no excuse, but it's the truth. I'm sorry.

But, um...Happy Valentine's Day! As a little treat, here's a Valentine's Day gift for all of you out there!

Technically this is the first of many planned songfics I want to write, but due to the site's protocals I have to remove the lyrics before posting them up. However, I will put the name of the song that inspired the stories, as well as who performs them (because I may use a version that differs from the original, which could affect the mood the story), so if you happen to have the song, or want to look for the lyrics to see how the story flows with it, you're welcomed to. Or, if you're too lazy to do that (I would be), go ahead and send me an email (located in the email link on my profile page) and I'll send you my copy with the lyrics incorporated in. For future songfics, I'll put up that little reminder.

Anyway, go easy on me with this one. I had three other V-day stories to do and post up today, so my brain was working overtime. Not to mention all the little spelling or grammatical errors that are bound to pop up...I was in a bit of a hurry. Hopefully this story is still good.

Enjoy, and happy Valentine's Day!

Other genre: None  
Summary: It was never her favorite holiday. But the right person just might open her heart to it.  
Notes: Valentine's Day story.  
Inspired by: "One in a Million", performed by Hannah Montana (if you would like the version where the lyrics are incorporated with the story, send me an email and let me know)

**One in a Million**

Daisy sighed softly as she sat on the stone wall, staring up at the glittering stars. Behind her, she could hear all the clamor of the party as the others celebrated what she felt was the dumbest holiday in existence. She couldn't even remember why she agreed to go to the Valentine's Day party in the first place.

"Daisy?" a hesitant voice said behind her. "What are you doing out here?"

The flower princess glanced over her shoulder and watched as the other approached. She couldn't hide her smile as she finally remembered her reason for showing up.

"Hey, Luigi," she said.

"Aren't you cold?" the green-clad plumber asked, holding out her yellow-orange coat.

She shrugged, taking the coat and slipping it on her shoulders. She wasn't really, but since he was nice enough to bring it out, she might as well wear it. "Thanks."

He smiled a little before glancing around. "It's nice out here," he murmured.

She rolled his eyes at his attempt for conversation. "It's quiet, anyway," she humored him. Looking up at him, she added, "Wanna sit down?"

"What?" he asked, turning to look at her.

She patted the stone spot next to her. "Sit," she repeated, flashing him her most mischievous smile.

Even in the dark she could see him blushing. "O-oh…" he stuttered, his hands fidgeting nervously. "S-sure, I guess…I-I mean…if you don't mind…"

She shook her head and scooted over a bit to make room. "If I minded, I wouldn't have asked," she retorted playfully.

"A-ah…right…"

She smiled as he slowly sat beside her, doing his best to avoid her gaze. He was cute when he tried.

The two sat silently for a moment under the evening sky. Remnants of the winter were already beginning to melt, slowly revealing the signs of life underneath the snowy blanket. Inhaling deeply, Daisy released it in a loud sigh, watching the heat of her breath rising away from her. "So, how's the party?" she finally asked.

"It's okay," Luigi replied, playing with the buttons of his jacket. "Princess Peach just started passing out her Valentine's Day gifts."

"Oh yeah? Maybe you should get back in there and get one. Those things always run out fast."

He shrugged. "I can just get mine later. She always saves one for Mario and me. Right now, I'd rather be out here."

She leaned back a bit, resting her weight on her hands so she could see the stars better. "Why's that?" she wondered, though did her best to act bored.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see he was blushing again. "W-well, I-I…I-I mean…well, you were out here, so…"

She blinked and looked at him. "So what?"

"Ah…well…I didn't…" He looked down as he played with his hands. "I didn't want you to be alone…"

For some reason, she felt as though her heart melted. "Luigi…" she said softly.

Hesitantly he looked at her, and a thousand thoughts rushed through her mind – so many things she wanted to say. Pushing them all aside, she simply smiled and said, "Thank you."

Returning the smile, he nodded before they both looked back up at the sky. Once again they drifted off into a peaceful quiet, but it didn't last long before Luigi turned back to her.

"So what are you doing here, Daisy?" he wondered.

She shrugged. "I just felt like getting away from the party, that's all. Valentine's Day was never one of my favorite holidays."

He turned to face her more fully. "Really?" he asked. "Why not?"

"Because it's stupid!" She shook her head, sitting up so she could fold her arms across her chest. "I mean, flowers, chocolates, jewelry, cards…all for 'love'? What's _that_ about?"

"They're just meant as symbols to show someone you care, that's all."

She scoffed. "There just so cliché. I mean, aren't there better ways of telling someone you care? Like…I dunno…just _saying_ so?"

"Well…maybe some people are just too shy to say it like that," he said, almost too soft for the Sarasaland princess to hear.

She heard him anyway. Curiously looking over at him, she gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "You okay, Luigi?"

The plumber chuckled softly, pulling his emerald cap down over his eyes. "Yeah, I guess so…I just…uh…"

Watching her companion for a moment, her eyes widened. "Oh! I didn't mean it like _that_!" she tried to cover up. "I mean, just because _I _don't like all that Valentine's Day stuff doesn't mean _you_ can't! I was just ranting. Who cares what I think, right?"

Luigi shook his head. "It's not that. I just thought…"

Carefully she scooted closer to him so their shoulders were just barely touching. "Thought what?" she asked.

Glancing at her, he then reached into his overall pocket and pulled out a small object. "Well, I guess I just thought that, since you don't like Valentine's Day, you wouldn't like _this_."

Daisy gasped as she saw the black oblong box he held in his hands. "That's…for me?" she asked, looking up at him.

He nodded, shyly looking away as he fiddled with the box. "It's not…really fancy or anything, but I thought you might like it anyway…or rather, I hoped you would like it. But I guess I should've checked with you about how you feel about Valentine's Day gifts…but I wanted it to be a surprise, and…" He sighed. "Anyway, I'm sorry, Daisy."

The princess bit her bottom lip as she looked at the box. She had just managed to thoroughly trash his gift before he had a chance to give it to her, and _he_ was the one apologizing?

"Can I see it?" she asked.

Blinking, Luigi looked at her again. "What?"

She held out her hand. "That's for me, right? So lemme see it."

Watching her warily, Luigi kept the box just out of her reach. "No…I don't think you'll like it…"

"Oh, c'mon," she huffed, reaching for the gift. Jokingly she added, "I'm sure it's not _that_ bad."

He shook his head. "No…" he said again, moving the box away from her. "You won't want it."

She noted the teasing smile that suddenly graced his lips, and she gave a mock glare. "Luigi!" She reached for it again, leaning forward as he leaned back, keeping it as far away from her as he could. Lucky for her, she was taller, and with another stretch she wrestled the box away from him.

With a triumphant laugh, she sat back down and slowly opened the gift. Lying inside on a crimson lining was a small golden rose charm on a thin gold chain. The charm was so intricately craved; as she gently fingered it, she could feel all the details that created the little flower.

Luigi flushed, once again averting his eyes. "L-like I said, it's not much…but I hope you like it."

With a soft giggle, she nodded. It was such a nice and simple gift, not as expensive as some other commercialized trinkets. And she knew Luigi picked the gold because it matched her dress, so the necklace was just her style. "I love it," she replied. Then she pouted and punched him. "But what am I supposed to do now? I don't have anything for you."

Luigi rubbed his shoulder. "You don't have to get me anything," he offered.

She scoffed. "Yeah? How's that gonna look?"

He shrugged. "I don't really need anything. Just knowing you like it is enough for me."

Daisy smiled, shaking her head as she gently lifted the necklace from its container. "What am I gonna do with you, Luigi?" she asked, closing the box and placing it aside.

"You could…come back to the party with me?" he suggested, turning to face her. "It's a lot warmer in there."

She could easily see that hopeful glint in his eyes as he waited for her answer. Resting her chin in her palm, the princess glanced back at the party briefly before looking at her companion again. Well, he _did _come out just so she wouldn't be lonely. And he had stayed, listening to her complaints before giving her his own gift. It was the least she could do.

"Well, why not?" she said. "I'm kinda tired of sitting out here anyway."

"Really? I mean, you don't have to if you really don't want to."

"It's fine, Luigi. I don't mind. But first…" She held up the gold chain, watching the pendant dangle in front of her. "Would you mind helping me put this on?"

Luigi blinked, slowly taking the necklace from her. "I…I guess so."

With a grin, she turned so that her back was facing him. She actually didn't _need_ help putting it on (it wasn't like she's never done it before), but it was just more fun this way.

As he carefully slid the pendant in front of her, she gathered her auburn hair and held it up so none of it would get caught in the clasp. She could feel his hands trembling as he fumbled with the fastener, but whether it was because he was cold or just nervous, she didn't know.

His fingers suddenly brushed across the back of her neck, sending pleasant shivers down her spine.

"You okay?" Luigi asked softly, and she could feel his hands draw away once the necklace was secure.

She grasped the pendant that now rested on her chest. "Yeah," she said, turning to face him again. "I guess I'm just colder than I thought."

"We better get inside, then," Luigi said, hopping off the stone wall. As he landed on the ground, he frowned a little.

"I guess so," Daisy sighed. "I suppose it would suck to get sick on Valentine's Day." Picking up the necklace case, she hopped off the wall as well.

"Watch out," he warned. "The ground's still a little frozen."

"What –?" She didn't have time to finish her question as her feet touched the ground, and her heel slipped on a leftover patch of ice, sending her staggering backwards. "Whoa!"

"Careful!" Luigi cried. He reached out and caught her in his arms, but the force was still enough to send them both crashing to the ground.

Daisy, who had landed on top, gasped and quickly scrambled off the other. "Luigi!" she said, sitting next to him. "Are you okay?"

Groaning, the plumber slowly sat up, removing his hat and rubbing the back of his head where he hit the stone wall. Then he looked at his glove. "Well, I'm not bleeding," he replied.

"Oh, Luigi! I'm _so_ sorry!"

"It's not your fault, Daisy. It was just an accident." Rubbing the back of his head again, he looked at her. "Are you all right? You didn't get hurt, did you?"

She shook her head, wondering how he could still be worried about her when _he _was the one who hit the wall. "No, I'm okay," she assured him. With a grin, she added, "You actually make a soft landing."

He blushed, but still managed a small smile. "That's good…I guess."

"You're sure you're okay, though?" Daisy asked again, placing her hand on his arm and watching him carefully. "How hard did you hit?"

"Not too hard," he said. "And really, I'm fine. It's nothing to worry about. Just a little bump on the head, that's all. I've had worse."

For some reason, though, Daisy wasn't too convinced. "Does it hurt?" she wondered.

"Uh…well…Just a little." He shrugged. "But it's nothing, really," he insisted. "I'll be fine."

Watching him as he continued to rub the back of his head, the flower princess then smiled. "Well, lemme just make sure you'll be okay…" She leaned forward, her lips gently brushing across a spot on his flushed cheeks.

As she sat back, she watched Luigi's eyes widened and the color on his cheeks darken. She smiled innocently, taking the hat from his limp hands. "There," she declared, brushing away invisible dirt from his cap. "Now don't you feel _much_ better?"

"Ah…uh…" Swallowing thickly, the man could only nod.

With a small laugh, she placed his hat back on his head. "That's what I thought." Slowly, the princess rose to her feet, stretching her arms over her head before brushing off the skirt of her dress. Looking down at him, she offered her hand. "Well? Are we heading back to the party or what?"

Blinking, Luigi then smiled a little, reaching up and taking her hand. "Y-yeah…" he replied as she helped him to his feet.

"Good," she said with a nod. With a small smile, she gently squeezed his hand. "So what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Luigi didn't have much of a choice as the tomboyish royalty practically dragged him back inside.

"Oh, hey," Daisy said suddenly, "you wouldn't mind if I said you're my date now, would you?"

Luigi nearly tripped, his cheeks burning. "Y-your _what_?!" he sputtered.

She laughed softly. Even after all that happened, he was still so shy.

**The End**


	7. Substitute

So, another story after only a month of waiting. Yay! (Yeah...anyway...)

This is one of those stories that's meant to be a bit unhappy. I had gotten this idea after reading something online one day: See, I've always kind of figured that Luigi had a crush on Peach (I mean, it is possible, and it makes some sense). But I read somewhere that, after Mario saved Daisy in _Super Mario Land_, it was hinted that there was something between them. Don't ask me where that is now, though, because I can't find it no matter where I look (and please don't tell me that there's no feelings between Mario and Daisy; I'm aware of that, and this is just a made-up fic about 'what if it was true'). But it's interesting to consider how that would fit into the Luigi/Daisy relationship. So...here it is. Enjoy.

Other genre: Angst  
Summary: They both wished it was real. But they could never be certain...

**Substitute**

Daisy couldn't help the glare as she walked behind the three, watching them talking and laughing about something she didn't understand. She couldn't remember why she agreed to go on a walk with _all_ of them; of course she loved spending time with Luigi, and she wouldn't mind a walk with her best friend, Peach…heck, spending a little one-on-one time with Mario would be an interesting change of pace. But when all three of them were together…she couldn't help but feel a little left out.

Then again, what else did she expect? The brothers saved Peach from Bowser frequently, and the three of them have been on a number of adventures together. Though she and Peach have been best friends since they were children, the three of _them_ have been friends for just as long and have been through so much more. They were so _close_…and the fact that they all lived here in the Mushroom Kingdom only made her feel more like an outsider.

And she could see it now…how that close friendship could lead to…_deeper_ feelings.

_Daisy…You know how I feel about you…But I want us to be honest with each other, so there's something I want to tell you…about Peach…_

Looking back on that day, she had to admit that she admired Luigi for that. It must not have been easy for him to tell her about how he used to feel for Peach, and she appreciated his courage and openness. But there were times when she wished, with all her heart, that he never mentioned anything about it.

Moments like now, as she trailed behind the three of them, watching them talk and laugh about something only the three of them knew…noticing as Peach softly spoke to him and placed a gentle hand on his arm…hearing as he gave his soft, meek reply…Because she could _swear_ that his eyes brightened a bit, and she just couldn't help but wonder…

With a frustrated sigh, Daisy shook her head and forced herself to look away. She slowed a bit and allowed her friends to get more ahead of her, watching as they disappeared behind a grassy hill. Then she backtracked for a while until she found one of the large trees they had passed. She stepped off the path they were following and slowly approached the tree, looking up into it as she stood underneath its shaded embrace.

_I guess…maybe…a part of me will always hold on to her. But that won't change anything between us._

The bitter thought passed through her mind before she could stop it: 'If you didn't want anything to change, you shouldn't have told me.'

Closing her eyes, she let her forehead rest against the rough tree trunk. She didn't want to doubt him, and she hated feeling this way. But that didn't stop the uncertainty…or the fear.

"Daisy?"

She winced a little as the faint voice reached her ears. She was so sure that she wouldn't be followed. Inhaling deeply, she slowly turned around; meeting Luigi's concerned expression with a small smile. "Hey," she said, tucking a strand of auburn hair behind her ear.

The green-clad plumber slowly approached her, a curious frown marring his face. "I was surprised when you suddenly disappeared," he said softly. "I didn't know if you were still out here or if you went back to the palace."

She scoffed and folded her arms over her chest. "I'm surprised you even noticed," she retorted.

"Of…course I noticed…" Luigi rubbed the back of his head, tipping his cap ever so slightly as he did so. "Daisy, are you all right? You've been kinda quiet today."

The Sarasaland princess shrugged. "I didn't wanna interrupt whatever you and _Peach_ were talking about."

He stared at her for a moment, blinking questioningly. Then he sighed, looking down at the ground. "This is about what I told you before, isn't it? About Peach…?"

"You think?" Honestly, she wasn't sure where this attitude was coming from. She told herself that if she ever talked about this with Luigi, she would try to keep calm, but for some reason she couldn't control herself.

Luigi fidgeted a little. "Daisy, I told you all that because I wanted you to know about me. I thought it would be better for us if we got everything out in the open. But how I felt about Peach doesn't matter now."

"And why is that?" she asked sharply, throwing down her hands. "Is it _just_ because of me? Because of _us_? Or is it because you just can't have her?"

His eyes widened. "Wh-what…?"

Daisy shrugged again. "Well, I mean, what's not to love about Peach? She's beautiful, nice, generous…and you guys have been friends for forever. I don't blame you for falling for her. But what could you do? She wasn't interested in you like that, and she and Mario had more of a thing together. And knowing you, Luigi, you probably figured that as long as they were both happy, you'd just back off."

Clenching her fists, she continued with in an uneven tone, "Then all of a sudden, you meet a princess from another kingdom who just happens to be best friends with Peach. She's kinda cute, and she's nice, though nowhere near as nice as Peach. But she seems interested in you anyway, so maybe you think, 'Well, since I can't be with Peach, I might as well be with her friend.'"

Luigi rubbed his arm as he looked at the ground, blinking hard. And Daisy bit her tongue as she realized just how harsh her words sounded, especially if most of them rang true to him. She thought she should apologize…but for some reason, her heart wouldn't let those words go.

"So, is that what you really think?" Luigi suddenly said, his voice so quiet that she almost didn't catch it. "You think that since I can't be with Peach, I'm just _settling_ for you?"

"Yeah, that's pretty much what I'm saying," she shot back, her mind answering before her heart could stop it.

The man sighed, pulling the bill of his cap down to shadow his eyes. "I'm…sorry that you thought that…Especially since I was trying as hard as I could to make sure you _didn't _feel that way…'cuz I…I-I know how much it hurts to wonder…"

Daisy frowned and raised a questioning brow. "What are you talking about?"

Still looking at the ground, he shuffled his foot in the dirt. "You…you had feelings for Mario, didn't you?"

She froze, her heart pounding as she looked at him with wide eyes. "H-how…when did you…?"

His hands trembled as he slipped them into his pockets. "It was…sometime after I told you how I used to feel about Peach," he replied. "I…told Mario about how I was going to tell you, and I guess he wanted to do the same thing with her, so…I heard him telling her about your relationship with him after he saved you from Tatanga. But…I was still hoping that…maybe…_you_ would tell me."

Pursing her lips together, she sought to find the words to explain. "I thought about telling you," she began slowly, "but…I was afraid –"

"Afraid of what?" he suddenly snapped, shutting his eyes. "Afraid of what I might think? That I might take it the wrong way?" He shook his head and released a breath through gritted teeth. "You have no idea…"

Tightly folding his hands, he pressed them to his forehead as a shudder ran through his shoulders. "I waited…hoping that maybe you'd tell me about it, let me know that I had nothing to worry about. But you never said anything, and…the longer I waited…the more I feared…that I maybe I actually had something to be afraid of…

"Because I always used to wonder…how exactly you chose _me_. I mean, I'm not handsome…I'm not too smart, I'm not really strong…and I'm not brave…I'm kinda clumsy, and I mess up a lot of things…So I could never figure out what you see in me. But then…when I heard about you and Mario…and since you never…told me…I thought that…well, it makes sense."

Suddenly his hands dropped to his sides, still clenched tightly into fists, and he stared at the ground in front of him. "I started to think…that maybe being with me…was a way for you to be near Mario. We're brothers, after all, so maybe _I_ was just the closest you would ever get to _him_. Or maybe you thought, since we _are_ brothers, that someday, I would be more like him. If you waited long enough, maybe someday I would be exactly like Mario." Finally he looked up at her with a fierceness she'd never seen before in his sapphire eyes. "Well, I hate to tell you this…But I am _not_ my brother! I will _never_ be my brother!"

His final exclamation left him panting for air, and she watched as each heave of his chest softened the anger in his eyes. His breathing finally calmed, and painful regret forced him to turn away and hide underneath the shadow of his cap.

Daisy bit her bottom lip, hesitantly stepping towards him. "Luigi…" she said softly, reaching for him.

"Daisy! Luigi!" a gentle voice called suddenly, piercing through the tension between them.

"Where'd you guys get to?" another voice followed, and Daisy watched as Peach and Mario appeared down the path.

"There you two are," the red-clad plumber said. "We were wondering where you guys went."

The brunette glanced at Luigi, who kept his eyes averted away from everyone. "We just…wanted some privacy to talk," she said.

Looking from the other princess to the taller man, Peach frowned as she asked softly, "Is everything all right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Daisy replied with a wave of her hand. "Everything's fine."

Luigi said nothing and continued staring at the ground. Peach and Mario exchanged uncertain glances, but a shrug from the hero meant they wouldn't question it. "Well, all right," the blonde princess said slowly. "We're heading back to the palace. Are you two coming?"

Daisy nodded. "Yeah, we'll be right there. You two…go on ahead, and we'll catch up with you."

Peach returned the nod, and with a glance at Mario, the two of them headed back down the path toward the castle.

The Sarasaland princess watched them go, waiting until they were completely out of sight before turning to her companion. "Luigi…"

"I'm sorry," he said suddenly, still not looking at her. "I didn't mean to…I mean, I shouldn't have…I'm…sorry…"

She shook her head, placing a hand on his shoulder. "No, I should be the one apologizing," she said. "I'm the one who started all this. It's my fault, and I'm sorry."

Reluctantly he looked up at her, but it was only for a moment as he turned away again, giving her only a small nod. She sighed, crossing her arms and looking down at the ground as well, understanding his uneasiness.

They both already apologized, but no amount of words can undo the ones already spoken. And with all those unsure feelings, with all that wondering…with all that doubt…There was nothing either of them could say to make them better.

"I guess…we should start heading back now," Luigi spoke softly, rubbing the back of his neck.

She nodded. "I guess so," she replied.

At first, neither of them moved from their spots; the tension around them was still heavy, keeping them fixed where they stood. But then Daisy, unable to take the nothingness any longer, carefully slipped her hand in his.

Blinking in surprise, Luigi glanced up at her curiously. Noticing her small smile, he returned with a shy one of his own and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. After another lingering minute, the two finally headed back down the path for the castle.

The shadow of doubt still remained, though; she could feel it in his touch, and she knew he sensed it as well. But she figured they'd eventually either work through it, or just find a way to deal with it. If they _really _stood a chance…they'd have to.

**The End**


	8. Tell Her

Yes, I realize it's been a long time since my last update. Yes, I'm sorry that it had to take this long to get this next one up. Yes, I know I'm a terrible person for taking this long. Yes, I know there's no excuse. Is there anything left to say?

I really am sorry that I took so long. I've been busy and slightly uninspired, but here's the next story! Personally, I think it's much better with the lyrics...but you know how the site is. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy, and once again, I'm so sorry!

_Other genre:_ Drama  
_Summary:_ No matter what...he would get back to her.  
_Notes:_ Besides the song, I got the idea for this story from another I found on the site a while ago. The title escapes me at the moment, and every time I look for it now, it's nowhere to be found. But in the story, Mario and Luigi head off to war to fight Bowser, leaving Peach and Daisy behind. Daisy and Luigi are already married, and Peach and Mario are engaged. At one point in the story, while Daisy's pregnant with Luigi's child, Luigi is taken prisoner by Bowser. While he's captive, Luigi thinks about Daisy and his unborn child, until he and the other prisoners of war are liberated. Now, obviously, I didn't use the _exact _same idea for this story, but this story kind of revolves around the same idea of Luigi being captured by Bowser and thinking of Daisy (and if the person of this particular story is reading mine, I really did enjoy that story, and I hope you aren't too mad at me for talking about your story and basing mine off it!).  
_Inspired by:_ "Tell Her", performed by Jesse McCartney (if you would like the version where the lyrics are incorporated with the story, send me a PM and let me know)

**Tell Her**

Luigi awoke with a start, his body protesting as he quickly sat up. Blinking his eyes, he carefully reached up and wiped away the moisture that roused him from the bridge of his nose. He was confused at first, but a glance out the only window showed him that it started to rain.

When his vision fully adjusted to the darkness, his heart sank with a heavy sigh. Reality surrounded him, reminding the plumber that he was still trapped in a cell underneath Bowser's castle, and that his day at the park with Daisy was still nothing more than a dream.

He rubbed the back of his head carefully, mindful of the growing bump that continued to throb. 'How long has it been?' he wondered, trying to count the days since his capture. It was hard to do, however, since it was difficult to determine day from night in Dark Land…or wherever Bowser's castle was.

But he could certainly remember _how_ he was captured. After Princess Peach was once again kidnapped by the evil King, he had gone with Mario to rescue her. At first, everything went as smoothly as it usually did; they traveled, they fought some of Bowser's underlings, they arrived at Bowser's castle, and they fought him. But after they rescued the princess and started their escape, the giant Koopa launched a last surprise attack. Though Mario and Peach managed to get away, he was knocked out by a wayward Koopa shell. When he awoke, he was lying in his underground prison.

He wasn't too concerned that he was left behind; Peach was more important, after all, and his brother needed to get her back to the Mushroom Kingdom. He probably should wonder when his brother would come for him, though. He should probably be worried and afraid that every minute his brother wasn't there, Bowser would find some new way to make him suffer. But surprisingly…he wasn't.

Because all he could think about…was Daisy.

Did she know that he was captured? Probably, if Mario and Peach were already back at the Mushroom Kingdom. He hoped that the tomboyish princess wasn't too upset, and that she would let Mario deal with rescuing him…Though he could just imagine Daisy determined to rescue him herself, his brother being dragged along as he tried to hold her back.

Despite himself, the mental image made him laugh softly to himself. But his mirth quickly faded as another sigh rumbled in his chest. He wished that Mario would get here soon. He wanted to get back home…so Daisy wouldn't worry anymore.

That was the one thought that urged him on during his captivity. No matter how much Bowser tried to torture him, no matter how much pain he was in, _no matter what_…He would survive all of it in order to get back to Daisy. He would live long enough to see her again.

After all…he _promised_ her.

* * *

_Luigi sat silently, watching the Sarasaland princess next to him twirling strands of auburn around her finger. She fidgeted slightly, and his unease mounted as she did her best not to look at him. She crossed her arms and squared her shoulders, and he waited nervously for her to say _something_._

_He couldn't wait any longer. "Daisy…"_

_She turned to face him, a blaze in her sapphire eyes that couldn't decide between anger and concern. Whatever it was, it bore into Luigi and made his heart jump into his throat._

_"So…you're going?" she finally asked, the inflection finally giving way to her apprehension._

_Her tone and expression made him almost say no. But he caught himself and nodded instead. "Yeah," he replied reluctantly, trying to keep his voice from shaking as she continued to stare at him._

_"Do you have to?"_

_Luigi rubbed the back of his head. "Well…Mario wanted me to go with him to save her this time. It's been a long time since he's asked me to help…"_

_She frowned, turning away as she played with her hands. "Oh."_

_There was something about her…something about her demeanor and the look in her eyes that made his heart ache…and he didn't know why. "Daisy…"_

_"You shouldn't go," she murmured, and if Luigi wasn't sitting next to her, he wouldn't have heard her._

_But he did, and he blinked in confusion. "Why not?"_

_Daisy sighed, folding her hands together on her lap. "I just…I dunno…I just have a bad feeling about it, that's all. Like, if you go…" She shook her head and looked up at him. "You'll be okay, right?"_

_To be honest, imagining the upcoming adventure frightened Luigi. But he would be with his older brother after all, and he didn't want Daisy to worry. So with a smile, he gently took her hand. "I'll be fine," he said._

_The plumber's mouth suddenly went dry and his body froze when Daisy's arms suddenly encircled his shoulders, pulling him into a tight embrace._

_"You better come back," she whispered in his ear._

_Hesitantly, Luigi wrapped his arms around the princess, his mind lost in the scent of flowers that lingered over her. "I will," he assured as they slowly pulled apart. "I'll be back as soon as I can."_

_She still didn't look convinced, but she nodded anyway. "Okay…Just be careful."_

_For some reason, he couldn't help but chuckle. "You're certainly one to talk…"_

_With a laugh, she gently punched him in the shoulder. He smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes; even though he wouldn't be gone for very long, he was still going to miss her._

_The grin on her face faded as well, watching him with uncertain eyes. Then, slowly, she leaned forward and gently brushed her soft lips across his cheek._

_Heat rushed to his face, and his heart threatened to jump out of his chest as he gaped at her with wide eyes. Avoiding his questioning gaze, she quickly stood and dashed out of the house._

* * *

Opening his eyes, Luigi reached up and placed his hand to his cheek. He could still feel the warmth of her lips…and he smiled.

As lightning flashed outside, he frowned when a strange shadow fell across him. Curious, he looked up at his cell window where he could just make out the grounds surrounding the castle.

Among the impassive rocks, a single daisy struggled to stand against the rough winds and pounding rain.

A choked sob escaped from Luigi's throat and tears streamed down his cheeks as the small white flower fought against the storm. He knew – he _knew_ – that it was just a coincidence, that the little thing was just there…that it was just an ordinary daisy growing in a barren wasteland…

But a heaviness still clenched his heart…because he could almost _hear_ the voice of _his_ Daisy.

_Come back…_**  
**

Slowly, ignoring all the pain that shot through his weakened body, Luigi rose to his feet. Breathing through clenched teeth, he stood on unsteady legs, gathering whatever strength he had left before jumping as high as he could. He grabbed the iron bars that blocked the opening, clinging tightly regardless of how much his muscles ached.

Because he _wanted_ that flower…

It was just out of his reach, but he stretch his arm as far as it would go and willed it to go just that much further. The rain drenched his tired form, soaking through his tattered clothes and leaving him shivering, but he didn't care about any of it. He had to get that daisy, to keep it close to him…

So he could be closer to _her_.

Pushed to its limit, his body finally gave up and Luigi fell back to the ground hard. He moaned, colors fading across his vision as his cell seemed to spin. He was exhausted, he was soaked, everything in his body hurt, and the chill did nothing to help.

But as he looked at the flower he grasped in his hand…he laughed.

Carefully he turned to lie on his side, keeping his back to the iron bars of his prison. He had to hide the daisy, just in case the guards checked in on him…He wouldn't let them take away his flower. He would keep it with him…keep it until he got back home…keep it to help him get through the pain and torture Bowser would try to put him through. He would keep it as a reminder that she was still waiting for him to return.

"Just hang on, Daisy…I'll be back as soon as I can…"

**The End**


End file.
